Stagea Suspension

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Hi all, trying to get my wheel alignment sorted, and have found that the drivers rear toe arm bolt has been done up waaaaaayyyyyy to tight and won't come off. It is pretty much round now after them trying to use all kinds of gripping tools to try and get it to shift and it's just tearing it apart. Looking like it will have to be cut out and replaced. The question being could anyone assist with sourcing one, ie send me one off a wreck, give me a genuine nissan part number, anything at all? Just to be clear I am talking about the eccentric/concentric (what ever it is) one on the car end of the arm.

Can you describe more how you've tried to get it off? Firstly you shouldn't really try to twist the bolt (for removal or toe adjustment) until you have loosened the nut because the eccentric washer will chew into the threads, and ruin the notch on the washer too. If you get the nut off, then just tap the bolt out with a hammer?

If you do chew the threads and damage the washer, its not totally ruined. Where the washer sits on the bolt, the threads can be coated with solder to rebuild the diameter of the bolt and the groove. Solder is very easy to file or dremel, so you can restore the original shape of the bolt. The nut never has to go over these threads so it is fine. The washer can be restored in a similar way, or with a spot weld.

Not sure if thats a help. Are you saying the hex head has been rounded off? If the bolt was turned in an attempt to loosen it, rather than turning the nut, you'd probably ruin it like this.

As for replacements, I think repco can get one? When I went looking for one they said there was an aftermarket one (for silvia and skyline drifter types I guess) but it was quite expensive.

You may be lucky to find a 2nd hand one on ebay. It does look like there are aftermarket ones for the 350z. You can try to ask these sellers what the dimensions of the bolts are, maybe nissan didnt change the bolt diameter and cam diameter over the years. With any luck.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/REAR-ALIGNMENT-BOLTS-KIT-3-00-CAMBER-TOE-/161138000385?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Make%3ANissan&hash=item258492c201

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SPC-Performance-Rear-Camber-Toe-G35-G37-M35-M45-370Z-Cam-Bolts-Set-1-Side-/271263157668?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Make%3ANissan&hash=item3f288b4da4

If they fit, you should be able to haggle the shipping price down....

[Pft shh 89]

sorry should have been a bit more specific yes its the nut that is stripped, not the bolt. They tried the correct size socket on a breaker bar with another piece of pole to give more leveredge, wouldn't budge started to strip. Sprayed with WD40 and waited 20mins. They tried bashing a smaller socket on, same deal and still continued to strip. Then they tried some multigrip style things that as they turn/ have pressure applied the tighter they grip again with another pole on the handle for extra leveredge and it just started tearing the nut apart. We can't get the nut to crack so looking like we shall have to cut through the lot then find a replacement bolt and nut.

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Just be warned its far more difficult to replace the cam bolt than the nut. Maybe nissan can get genuine ones, but you know the deal with prices... Before you cut the whole thing off, see if those g35/350z replacements may work.

How about trying a nut splitter/cutter? Have you tried applying heat to the nut?

[GH05T]

Ok, I have just read through the 55 pages of the thread.

Firstly thanks to SK for beginning and quarterbacking such a golden thread even if he isn't really around anymore. I have learnt allot just reading which I wish people did more of.

I have written allot of notes and have allot of questions, slowly ticking off my questions but I still have holes to fill and some advice needed.

I am currently setting up the suspension in my C34 SR4-S series II.

This is an epic post so here we go…

I have recently fitted a new set of BC BR coilovers as I have used them before and liked them.

I opted to go for a slightly softer spring over the standard and ended up with 7kg fronts and 5kg rears.

I haven’t played around too much with the heights as it landed fairly close to what I like which is fairly low. A little bit too low to be honest but I’m fitting 18 wheels to replace my 17s so the wheel centre will be raised by 1/5 inch anyway.

Firstly the camber is way off, visibly to far negative and the wheels foul against the struts without spacers so I looked into adjusting the camber and started reading…now I am looking to adjust everything I can to get a car which is going to give good handline and good tire wear.

This is what I have so far in knowledge of what I need and some questions on what parts and how,

Any help is appreciated.

Camber:

Stock camber adjustment is only good to about 0.25°

It seems I can either go camber bushes or Camber arms

From what I have read, camber bushes will take out camber but only to a certain degree, after that I will need camber arms.

With the bushes anything as low as 340/330 will require 1F and 2R bushes.

With the 17wheels im measuring the center of the wheel to the guard lip at 303mm (assuming the new 18” wheels will make that 315mm ish) we can take it as needing camber arms!

Now my first question is which are the preferred/ better suited camber arms?

I keep reading that pillow ball or “spherical bearings” are noisy and wear fast, as I do allot of driving I want to shy away from these so I think I need a “bushed camber arm”?

I picked up somewhere maybe a whiteline option may be the best?

Either KTA117a?

Or KTA128?

Can anyone shed any light on the model for a Manual 4wd C34?

OK moving on to…

Caster:

I’m reading allot of “you need more caster in the stag”

I understand Stags get less caster from nissans design compared to the skyline but why do we need caster, does this give you more turning ability or high speed stability? Sorry I know that’s a very open question.

So I need arms to give me more caster and I have 2 main options,

-Whitelines which adjust further than stock (I read “80” somewhere)

-And nolteck /JJR which adjust to “130”

(Sorry I can’t remember what the 80/130 is measured in) but I shouldn't go past “80” as I don’t want fast wearing control arm bushes and over extended drive shafts which makes sense.

So it seems whiteline is the best and easiest option.

What part number am I buying to do this?

where/ who do i buy from?

It seems the 4WD models need 4WD specific parts?

Swaybars:

Ok, so I understand sway bars should really be first on my list of mods and they are, I’m basically doing everything together as fast as I can to fit new wheels and sort issues out together.

I’m sure I will simply get whiteline sway bars and I have basically gottn’ my head around what’s interchangeable with gts/gtrs but I keep reading slightly different things,

At the end of the day what model numbers do I need for front and rear sway bars?

Remembering it’s a RS4-S factory manual 4WD

Should I go 22mm or 24mm F/R?

Setup:

For a simple setup daily driver with good hills abilities, no track work and I like a low car as said…

FRONT

Caster

L as far forward as possible

R the same – 1/4° for road camber

Camber

0°

Toe

0°

Swaybars

Soft (already a huge improvement over standard size)

REAR

Camber

L -0.5°

R -0.5 ° (up to -1°)

Toe

L -2mm

R -2mm (to stop the rear wandering on highways)

Swaybars

Hard (keep the wagon ass in check, not a huge size increase over stock)

Please pick apart what I have learnt if I’m on the wrong track and as said thanks in advance for any answers with part numbers and knowledge,

I have tried my best reading the whole thread and compiling as much info as i can before posting and I have learnt allot,

I’m a suspension setup noob in comparison to some and I’m am trying to get a decent setup the proper way.

i also encourage all stog owners to read this entire thread or atleast the first 10 pages!

Glyn

Edited November 14, 2013 by GH05T

[wolverine]

Rear camber will be inadequate with inner and outer bushes so you will need an adjustable arm. Just Jap have Hardrace or somesuch. They seem pretty well constructed.

I would look at adjustable radius rods for castor, pretty sure the R33 GTR ones are the correct part.

If you have lowered the front then camber on the front might require eccentric bushes to fine tune it. (If I read your post correctly you have 0 degrees camber recommended on the front?? I have 1 degree neg on the front of mine for the street.

Sway bars on the RS4S are already larger than the RS4 so the upgrades recommended by SK are not as big a jump as you think. You could try the setup as is and see if you have enough control of body roll before stumping up the cash.

[GH05T]

yeah i assumed i needed camber arms, the justjap arms, are they the spherical bearing type?

(sorry another noob Q) which model am i needing, R33gtr? i remember one type fouled on the strut and one didnot,

I assume this one? reembering RS4-S?

http://justjap.com/store/product.php?productid=20060&cat=&page=1

i will look into the R33 rods for caster, are the gtr rods the upgrade or do i generally need aftermarket rods to suit the gtr?

Yeah the bushes will be all i will use to sort the front out, depending on what camber it ends up at with the bush i will probably end up with -1º ish anyway.

With the swaybars I will sort out the other bits and see how it goes but even with the coilovers reducing some roll their is plenty left, it needs to be tightened.

if the front and back are both larger then i willprobably need at minimum 24mm solid front and back maby both set to hard?

thanks for the help, i really appreciate it.

Edited November 14, 2013 by GH05T

[533 RYC]

I've been meaning to try n get through these pages too Glyn, but time isn't on my side. Work work work.....

Whiteline sway bars as quoted by Daleo (he does decent prices - I'd recommend contacting him if Whiteline stuff is to be purchased).

Front: BNF27Z; 22mm blade adjustable

Rear: BR11XXZ; 24mm blade adjustable (this is classed on Whitlines site as Motorsport only)

Camber bushes only offer -/+ 0.5 degree either way. So if you have camber issues (I have just under 4 dergees in the front), bushes are not going to help very much.

Pillowball setups are pretty much for track use. They are not very bump/pothole friendly & will accelerate wear.

I also read somewhere that Neotech (http://www.neosus.co.kr/) arms are very good, twice as thick as stock arms & offer pillow bush or conventional bush type setups. The suppliers here in Oz are Shockworks (http://www.shockworks.com.au/) in Dictoria, SH#T, sorry, *ahem* Victoria.

I'll get around to contacting them soon i suppose.

[GH05T]

let me know how you go, i have contacted justjap, just to confirm that part suits the RS4-S,

thanks for the model codes for the swaybars, gonna get onto them,

whiteline also the the camber parts but i spoke to SK the other day and me mentioned whiteline parts are 4 months out of stock and unnavailable untill further notice.

i have read the difference between pollowball and bushed type and i know i want the bushed type....but i cant viaually tell the difference, i dont know what im looking at.

[GH05T]

ok so the link i posted was for the spherical type so ignore.

the bushed type is out of stock

http://justjap.com/store/product.php?productid=20359&cat=&page=1

they do have bushed type in stock from SRI, any good? they are cheper which i dont like,

http://justjap.com/store/product.php?productid=16598&cat=&page=1

still unsure if their is a difference for the RS4S,

i know my model has a different rear subframe to some?

[wolverine]

It will fit the RS4S and I can confirm that the NVH isn't affected in any noticeable way.

Yes, they wear, so do the bushed versions....

ps. the Hardrace ones are much more sturdy than the other rosejointed arms you linked from JJ.

[GH05T]

I have found one of our sau traiders who reps hard race, pmed him, otherwise I'll just buy direct from hard race

[wolverine]

JustJap are quick with delivery in my experience if you choose to use them for the Hardrace arms.

[adey88]

I swapped my adjustable rose bushed castor arms which had developed a clank to the stock arms with a non adjustable whiteline bush... It now has a slight pull to the left and the peddlers guy said he couldn't fix it as the bushes are non adjustable.

Should I take it somewhere else to get an alignment?? Does that sound right?

Thanks guys

[zoomzoom]

I swapped my adjustable rose bushed castor arms which had developed a clank to the stock arms with a non adjustable whiteline bush... It now has a slight pull to the left and the peddlers guy said he couldn't fix it as the bushes are non adjustable.

Should I take it somewhere else to get an alignment?? Does that sound right?

Thanks guys

I had the same issue when I replaced the stock bushing with a superpro one. If its not adjustable, you get what you get in terms of castor. Mine is slightly uneven. Buying another set of arms is probably your easiest option.

[erik]

What's the vote on r32 gtr roll centre adjusters on a c34 series 1 running top camber arms and a steering rack spacer

[erik]

Sorry and tein wagon spec coilovers, it's lowered plenty for the streets of kalgoorlie

[427]

mates, a question for M35 RWD:

what shocks can be used for M35? will the ones from Fairlady fit?

and who knows about these optional shocks something? will they low the car down?

[joe26f]

So little info on S2 RS RWD

I am sad

[alexvd275]

I have found one of our sau traiders who reps hard race, pmed him, otherwise I'll just buy direct from hard race

Hey GH05T, just wondering what your opinion is on the BC BRs on the Stag? I had BRs in my Silvia and absolutely loved them. Perfect for the performance driver who goes on a track day a few times each year. Do they perform well on a wagon also? A significant improvement over the stock suspension in regards to body roll?

Cheers.

[KiwiRS4T]

Hey GH05T, just wondering what your opinion is on the BC BRs on the Stag? I had BRs in my Silvia and absolutely loved them. Perfect for the performance driver who goes on a track day a few times each year. Do they perform well on a wagon also? A significant improvement over the stock suspension in regards to body roll?

Cheers.

A much heavier rear sway bar helps with the wagons!